It was, writes Gerry Thornley, “a mixed bag” of a weekend for the Irish provinces in the Champions Cup, Munster producing the result of the round with their odds-defying victory away to Toulon, while Leinster eased into the round of 16 with a seven-try demolition of Stade Francais. There was no joy, though, for Ulster or Connacht, the former suffering a “chastening and deflating 48-24 defeat by Toulouse”, while Connacht’s loss to Lyon leaves them at risk of an early exit from European competition this season. Gerry was at Stade Felix Mayol to see Munster come from 10-0 down to earn a bonus point win over Toulon - “once again, being cornered has brought out the best in them” - while John O’Sullivan saw Leinster make light work of a second-string Stade Francais in Dublin. For Ulster, though, it was “an evening of sombre reflection” when Toulouse visited the Kingspan Stadium, but while their hopes of making the round of 16 aren’t yet done, Connacht are now in danger of missing out on the Challenge Cup playoffs.
Malachy Clerkin, meanwhile, was at Croke Park for the junior and intermediate football finals, games that tend to bring to HQ “the sort of rootsy, raggedy fare that doesn’t usually get a look-in on the national stage”. He saw Cullyhanna win Armagh’s first intermediate title and Arva win Cavan’s first club All-Ireland of any sort. “On a day like this, firsts fall from the sky at will.” There was no joy for County Down in the United Arab Emirates, alas, Rory McIlroy somehow managing not to win the Dubai Invitational when the title was within touching distance. As Philip Reid puts it, it only served “to underscore that old adage of it not being over until it is over”.
Jadon Sancho’s days at Manchester United would certainly appear to be over having been shipped out on loan back to Borussia Dortmund. Where did it all go wrong? Ken Early reckons he never had the pace to be a success in the Premier League. “He has returned to the level of football where he belongs; a star player for a member of the Bundesliga’s supporting cast.”
Denis Walsh, meanwhile, writes about how climate change is having an ever increasing impact on the world of sport. One startling fact in his piece jumps out: 19 venues have hosted the Winter Olympics through the years - “it is predicted that by 2050 only 10 of them will be fit to do so again”. Sobering.
Johnny Murphy on refereeing the All-Ireland final: ‘Hand on heart, I was happy with the way it went’
Malachy Clerkin: Ireland can’t afford to miss the women’s Euros - once momentum is lost, it’s hard to get back
The bird-shaped obsession that drives James Crombie, one of Ireland’s best sports photographers
To contest or not to contest? That is the question for Ireland’s aerial game
TV Watch: Tennis fans will be severely sleep-deprived if they’re watching every hour of live coverage from the Australian Open, but for those hell-bent on sticking to Irish time, Eurosport has coverage from the tournament up to 1.30 this afternoon. The football faithful, meanwhile, have three Africa Cup of Nations to enjoy today: Senegal v Gambia (2pm), Cameroon v Guinea (5pm) and Algeria v Angola (8pm), all on Sky Sports.
